Beauty of the Beast
by Nadia Blackrose
Summary: She was found at the wrong place, the wrong time. Now Aeris has to explain herself to Jin and prove her innocence. One of the most unusual fanfiction pairings! Jin Kazama x Aeris Gainsborough - Jerith! xD
1. Captive

**This is my first Tekken fic which contains one of the most unusual pairings ever existed in my mind for a very long time. It must have been back in 1998 or 99, when I was first thought of Aeris from Final Fantasy 7 with Jin Kazama from Tekken series, and did not have the guts to put that on paper for fear you might consider me crazy! xD**

**Moreover, over the years I lost knowledge of the events that occurred in the latest Tekken games, I know as far the third one goes, so I would be very glad be informed, if you want of course.**

**This three-chaptered short fic, which is a sample from a bigger story that I intend to write, is thoroughly dedicated to one of my favorite authors, Razer Athane, without her encouragement I wouldn't dare write such a thing, even if it existed in my mind.**

**First Chapter**

**Captive**

She was forced to walk into an infamiliar path, chain- binded, with her twisted will ripped apart, subjugated and enslaved as she was, under the weight and the pain she was suffering from the rings which had been passed through her petite, fine hands. Whenever she stopped, the soldiers were dragging her like a humiliated, punished dog that refused to obey to it's stiff-necked masters. Fatigue turned into rage, one that was erupting like a volcano from time to time, bursting from her soul like a flame, prepared to devour everything on it's way.

"Let me go!" she was yelling complainingly in her thin, exhausted voice, until it got weak enough not to be distinguished, covered under the loud steps of the heavily armed sentinels.

She was led into a huge building, surrounded by shades of dark green, with it's gate extruding impressively, causing her to be overwhelmed by a bad feeling for what would follow next : she would be tortured to death, in order to confess something that she was obviously unaware of, since that unlucky, bad time had taken her to that damned place, where she had been met by that creepy, repulsive sight : a killed man, murdered inhumanely, his blood flowing down like a red waterfall, causing her terror and fury for the person who had done that. And out of the blue, from grave silence, she had found herself with a rifle pointing her head, immobilized, like a fly caught in a spider's web. She had not shown any sign of resistance, she had been way too shocked to utter a single word, show any kind of objection at the sight of the strange, special soldiers. Her hands were tied, and she was led here, at the place of her martyrdom, where greater harm was meant for her to happen.

The gate opened slowly, patiently, and her pulse was getting stronger in a rapid rhythm, enabling the andrenaline inside her blood to increase in a breakneck pace. She wouldn't give up hope so easily, even though they were allowed to believe that she had surrendered herself. She would fight for her right to her freedom until her last breath, at all costs... "Take her inside." commanded a dark, tall figure lurking in the darkness, in this way the soldiers lost no time, leading her to the vast corridors of the building, until they found a small room that looked like a cell.

There, she was untied, and was warned: "Don't dare do something reckless."one of the soldiers told her. "Otherwise, you'll be begging to die long before your time comes." Aeris did not bend to the threatening words of the sentinel, who pushed her with great force to that strange room, which reminded something between an office and a dungeon. Her numb hands met the dirty, unclean floor, incapable as she was to support them, saving her face from impaction with it. She felt more humiliated than ever before in her entire life, and a tear almost slipped from her rosy cheeks, but she wouldn't allow that, for she had no intention of gratifying those merciless beasts. She perched into her elbows and lifted herself in fist, vividness and pride. It was not long enough before the sound of the door was heard, crackling from rust, bringing inside two mysterious eyes that were spakling in the dark, approaching her dangerously... She made a step back, silent as the shadow, and lightsome like a flower that was being wiped away by the ceaseless wind. Suddenly, a spark lit inside her mind, feasting her eyes upon the most terrifying, repulsive image she had ever seen...


	2. Handsome like a devil

**Second Chapter**

**Handsome... like a devil**

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It was just a blink, a roll of her eyes that lasted for some fractions of the second, but her mind's eye could distinguish every single detail of that creepy creature : it felt as if the gates to oblivion have been opened, and it's most hateful, menacing being had escaped from there. His eyes were radiating a pure red glow, burning like flames from the hell, ready to consume whoever stood it's way, his black giant wings were like an uncontrolled maelstrom, ready to carry you away to the depths of the unknown...and from there, only another power from high above might predict, perhaps even determine your luck.

The mysterious man, who caused her so much fear turned on the almost faded lamp that was lingering at the center of the room, from which a quiet, pale light was flickering, enough for her to stare meticulously at his impressive characteristics. He was muscular, burly, tall with black spiky hair and light skin, with expressive almond brown eyes, reminding you of oceans of warm chocolate. Aeris did not form a single word, as if an invisible force had tied her mouth, a power so impressive, and risky at the same time. He was...handsome, she could confess to herself, in spite of his angry gaze that was causing her spine to shiver, and the fact that she had to confront him, defending her integrity as well as her right into staying alive.

"Why didn't you put the light on? Were you scared of me recognising you?" he told her in his impressive air, to which you might notice a faint trace of kindness, if it was capable of making her admit her actions easier.

"What are you talking about me recognising you? I just met you here, right now! I..." she exhaled in agitation, "I don't understand anything!"

Her words provoked his rage, but at the same time doubt had began to grow inside him, making him comprehend the possibility that she might have not participated in that failed attempt to kill him, that deprived another man of his life.

"Stop pretending you don't understand. You were there when it took place, and obviously you were not all alone on this, you were just unlucky enough not to manage to get away, obviously. This must have been an operation, performed by more than just one single person, who eventually left you on your own devices. Speak everything, and perhaps you'll save your life. Are you new in this job?"

More riddles, more nonsense was ahead for her...

"What kind of job?"she asked in confusion, his blurring words running through her head, confusing her, rendering her incapable of finding a desirable answer to give.

He formed a sinister, ironic smile, noticing her unwillingnes to cooperate in spite of the flexible way she had been treated, so he decided to make a small demonstration of his physical strength, by hitting a piece of wood, fallen from the dusty, wooden office lingering in the end of the room- next to her exactly, smashing it into millions of tiny pieces, just in one punch and all this with his bare hands!

Nonetheless, she stayed calm on the surface, trying to anticipate his next move, if the next target would be her, and she was not mistaken. He moved threateningly towards her, forcing her to make a step back, without being able to prevent this cruel possibility from that happening : He grabbed her wrists with his own, disarming her, filled with fury as he was, pushing her hard to the wall, until her back touched it, immobilized then she stayed, like a pile of salt, expecting to meet the same end like his previous "victim". All the more, a strange feeling overwhelmed her, the same she had felt when he had seen him in his human form...

"Handsome like a devil..." she thought inside her mind when she met his impressive, angry eyes, set on her like needles piercing her body.

"Look at me!" he ordered her in his thunderous voice. "Look into the eyes of the man you tried to kill, if you're brave enough to dare trying this!"


	3. Unspoken words

**Last Chapter**

**Unspoken words**

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What was his accusation towards her? Did she attempt to kill him? She didn't even know him to have whatever motivation in doing so and, if indeed had it been her, obviously she wouldn't think of such a matter, not even for a joke, especially after that brutal bursting of him towards that piece. Her mind was spinning fast, struggling to figure out what had happened before her arrival in the scenery of the crime, and what kind of people had the guts to attempt such a cruel, inexcusable crime, against who? Jin, charming and dangerous, quick as the light and strong like a mythical beast. She had a recollection of him, just a couple of minutes ago, when she had had that vision and had witnessed that demon hiding inside him, and wondered if it was for real or she was just hallucinating, after all those unfortunate events that had occured to her. An ominous feeling took over her, thus, she was struggling very hard in full strength to repulse this unpleasant thought, because, for some strange reason, she didn't want to think of him that way. A voice deep inside her subconsciousness was speaking, telling her he was not bad, while she was sensing a kind aura radiating from his spirit, hidden beyond those strong arms. Jin was just a furious man, who claimed the right to learn how many more unknown enemies he had, what their morals were as well as their motives to desire to dispose of him. And she, Aeris, was just a woman who had found herself in the wrong place, at the wrong time, in search of a person that she held so dear in this lonely, unknown world.

It was not fear the force which was making her diving into Jin's brown eyes, where black tufts of his hair were falling into his perfectly shaped face. It was her courage, her will to confront him with her unbreakable, pure spirit of her and the intelligence of her strong mind, since a silent force was gushing out from deep within her : her sense of justice, the proof of her innocence. She had no more opportunities left, imprisoned as she was at the tight grasp of his, but claim her right into learning what had happened, even if it was the last thing she would do in her already disturbed, weary life. She had to calm him, make him understand he wasn't the only victim in that vicious conspiratory situation he had found herself, like a small, silly bird, which had abandoned the nest of it's parents, flying to less hospitable places of the unknown, unfamiliar sky, only to become prey of some bloodthirsty predator.

Her stunning, green glance made him realise how closer to him his fury had brought her, his body almost touching hers, in an unexpectable moment. Could a woman with such stunning beauty hide a soul so poisonous? And if so, why didn't she try to pour him a drop, right away, just for a try? Why wasn't she trying to take advantage of the influence, the impact she had upon him, in order to be released from her bounds, trying to seduce him with her desirable beauty? They were exchanging glances for some minutes, that felt like endless hours, as if a mysterious, intangible force was playing the strings of them, with their eyes speaking together their own secret language, of things untold, incomprehensive by human tongue.

"I have nothing to do with this. We're both trapped in a wicked game, each one of us for his own personal reasons." she nearly whispered to him, with her eyes flickering at the possibility of a new bursting from Jin, that did not take place, fortunatelly. He took his glance away, his touch as well and turned his back on her, without retortion, leaving her gape in surprise. Aeris made a step towards him, relieved by his calm reaction, feeling the impulse to open her heart, without fear and suspicion, no matter how superficial, or childish of her this might look like.

"I've been searching for my sister for a very long time, it seems for some reason she has forgotten me. Once, I managed to go so close, was almost there, I had shouted her name, to no avail, as if I didn't exist, and when I tried to approach her she was always vanishing into thin air...And...back to the drawing board..."

she sighed in bitterness and sadness was drawn into her eyes. Having listened to her words, Jin turned on her both in curiosity and interest to learn more, in an attempt to find the plotholes of her weird story. He raised his right eyebrow, crossed his arms and retorted :

"So...your sister has picked on me, and you were informed she would be in that place, you had run to find her, but it was already too late..." he made a small pause, and then continued in an aggressive way : "What do you think is capable enough of proving me that you're not a murderer like her?" he said in his harsh, strict way, noticing the astonishment formed in her face, the huge question mark which was floating upon her confused head.

She lowered her head, and her long ponytail bend to her left shoulder, as she fell on her knees due to her sadness and the exhaustion from her body...

"This can't be..." she was speaking loudly to herself, and her lips were taking expresions of pain and disappointment. "My sister was never the best person around the world, but she had brought me back to life, a long long time ago, probably you didn't even exist when that had happened!"

Jin formed a smile, obviously from disbelief, but her fairy tale was sounding quite amusing to him, so he let her continue:

"...therefore, she was gone for a long time, her traces had been erased, until I got informed about a woman who looked like me, except for her blond hair and her blue eyes...But, of all the bad things in the world, I wouldn't expect her to end up being an assassin!" she said while choking a sob, trying to hide her pain to the best of her abilities. She didn't want him to see her crying, this picture did not suit someone as proud as she was. Nevermore, in times of necessity, she would make an exception, just to ask for help. Therefore, she turned her head up on him, and went on : "I know you don't believe me, I can see it in your eyes, Jin, but I have no intention of harming you! Otherwise, I wouldn't ask for your help, to save my sister. You have my word, if something goes wrong...you can kill me, and I know you possess the strength to do it, because... before it happens, a force more dangerous than a killing machine, and darker than the hell will have taken control over you, ruining everything good existing in you. I exchange my life for your help, please...!!" she begged him in such a tender, calm way that was showing her trust into him, making his tough heart accept her words, no matter how weird and unbelievable they were. She had proved her innocence with her kind spirit, entrusting him her life, by having spoken directly into his heart, with her eyes reflecting the undeniable truth which was hidden in her intestines. Jin was moved by the kind offer of Aeris, suprisingly discovering that it was one of the few times he had gained an ally, even under such inconvenient circumstances. He walked slowly towards her, and to her bigger astonishment he slightly bended over her, whispering : "I'll help you, in one condition." Aeris raised her wet eyes, and there he went on : "You will help me as well by trying to manipulate this destructible power that lies in me, as you mentioned before."

Afterwards, he gave his hand to her, willing to help her stand on her feet, and she lost no chance to respond positively to his calling, forming a friendly, irresistible smile on her face, that was shining from excitement, in contrast to her body's tireness. For one moment, it seemed she wouldn't make it, to get up from the floor, thus he gave her a little boost in his direction, bringing her almost into his embrace. "Sorry, I'm a bit exhausted..." she told him shyly, in embarrassment, seeing him as a foe no more, only as a precious company, a friend...and somewhere, deep inside her...maybe she considered him something more than a friend, as she was feeling the sudden impulse to be kept into his warm, protective embrace, and stay there forever...

**That was it, I hope guys you enjoyed it! xD**


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